As we head into spring, it may feel as though the prospect of snow is on hold for months.

But it is not unheard of to see snow during March in south east London.

Just last year in March 2023, south east London reached sub-zero temperatures as it snowed on and off throughout the second week of the month.

A photo sent in by a News Shopper reader shows her garden last year covered in snow as snow continues to fall and the sky was completely white.

This Is Local London: Snowfall in March 2023Snowfall in March 2023 (Image: Donna Joyce)

There were weather warnings for ice and snow by the Met Office at this time.

However, in 2022 just one year before there was no snow throughout March in south east London.

In 2021, while there was speculation that lots of snow would hit and that London could even have a “white Easter”, the Met Office quickly dismissed the claims and there was no snow that March.

There was also no snow throughout March back in 2020.

The Met Office has said that this year, for the first time since records began in the mid twentieth century , this extended winter period (November to March) is the first in its observational records to see three Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) events.

A spokesperson for the Met Office said: “A SSW is a disruption of the normal westerly air flow 10 to 50 km above the earth.

“This often makes the jet stream meander more, which can lead to the development of a large area of high pressure over northern Europe at the Earth’s surface.

“This can ‘block’ the Atlantic low-pressure systems which are responsible for the relatively mild, wet and windy weather that often occurs in UK winters.

“This blocking pattern increases the chance of cold, dry weather in the UK and mild, wet and windy conditions for southern Europe.

“However, the impacts of an SSW do not always equate to cold weather, for example, we have only seen intermittent drops in temperature around the two SSW events early this winter and typically around 70 per cent of events are associated with a cold snap.”

According to the forecast by the Met Office for the next week, it appears we will not be seeing snow.

Today (March 20), there will be a cloudy start to the day with a few showers feeling warm with light winds.

The maximum temperature is predicted to be 16 degrees.

Tonight, the weather is set to be cloudy with some patchy light rain or drizzle with a minimum temperature of six degrees.

Tomorrow the day is forecasted to be cloudy with mist and patchy fog.

It will become brighter with some hazy sunshine in the afternoon and the maximum temperature is forecasted by the Met Office to be 17 degrees.

However, over the weekend it is predicted to turn colder with some brisk wind and scattered sunny spells.

The Met Office has said that overnight frosts may return.